Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-10
.ttend these meetings at their own expense,

1t is often difficult to get a majority oi
the Board together, and for this reason
minority of the Board is often obliged to
transact the business for the majority. This
is not right. A bureau of the Government
having the control of upwards of $4,000
to its credit and of such large and inn
portant trust as this, should be managed
by Directors who personally will attend to
the duties of the office, but if required TO
do this at their own expense the library
will suffer in the future as it has in the
past. From the fact that the Directors who
reside away from Sacramento have not at
tended the meetings of the Board with any
regularity, we find meetings at which
majority were present have not beer often
held. This has required the Librarian to
go TO San Francisco to see the absent mem
bers and get their approval of his official
acts. This has often resulted in there being
but an imperfect report of the proceedings
of the Board, and such report is often
times insufficient 10 ascertain at what
dates the several accounts were aud
tied and ordered paid. We would call
the attention of the Board OF Trustees TO
the fact. and advise them that the Libra
rian's books should show minutely the
several dates when each lot of books is re-
eeived, when each account is audited and
paul. iht CAdC- udtt hHtD Tie HI
count is paid, and the precise amount paid;
and we would suggest that the record and
all other books of the Librarian should be
required to be promptly written up, or in
case of failure, that they cause the Libra
rian to be promptly removed.
We further suggest that, pursuant to
subdivision 4, Of Section 2293 of the Po-
litical Code, the Board of Trustees, and
not the Librarian, should draw from the
State Treasury the moneys belonging to
the library fund, and further, that such
moneys should be deposited in some SOL
vent bank in the city of Sacramento, to be
named by the Board, to be drawn upon
only by check signed by the President of
the Board and countersigned by the Lii
brarian, and that all bills ordered paid
should be paid by checks drawn upon the
moneys deposited as aforesaid, or by drafts
purchased by checks so drawn.
Second-We would further report that
we find vouchers duly filed and numbered
and receipted for all moneys paid out, and
| find balance of cash on hand of $4S 45.
The Library is in good condition, there be-
| ing on hand in the State Treasury the sum
| of $l4, ,239 81; said fund exists by virtue of
Section 2300 Of the Political Code. A COM
parison of the prices paid for books pur-
chased with the catalogue prices shows a
general discount of from 10 to 80 per cent,
of which the Library has received the full
benefit Purchases have been generally
made of firms within the State, but no firm
has had the exclusive benefit OF the patron
age of this department
Third-1he Library consists of 60, 200
volumes, and are well arranged and easy
Of access. In the General Department we
are pleased to note that late additions and
ot1fc dinor prflars indicate fr,
secure works of immediate interest to those
engaged in the economic industries of the
State. Works ON horticulture, viticulture,
| irrigation, mechanics, and similar subjects
| from good proportion of new works. The
accessions to the Law Department have
been relatively greater than in the General
| Department, because, in the former, in ad-
dition to usual purchases to keep up cur
rent series, and the large number of law
! publications constantly received in ex-
change, unusual purchases have been made
| in an attempt very largely successful to FIJI
1 up incomplete sets of foreign reports and
periodicals, and session laws of the various
| States, while in the latter purchases have
been partially suspended until the cata-
| logue is completed.
| During the past two years there has been
completed by the Librarian catalogue OF
books in the law department. In typo
graphical finish and binding it is most
excellent, while in subject matter it is at
once accurate, convenient and comprehen-
| sive. A comparison of it with the cata-
logues of other law libraries is highly graf
flying, showing, as it does, not only the
| superiority of The work itself, but the
| greater completeness of the library. This
/ catalogue, we find, after very careful in
| spection, will be of much greater value 10
the lawyers than any similar catalogue OF
which we have any knowledge. The very
large number of cross-references, the elab-
crate method of abbreYiating the names OF
reporters and textbook writers, as we'll as
| the system adopted of showing the various
publications of laws, digests, reports and
| journals OF the United States, States, terri
tories and foreign countries will, in a re-
Inarkable degree, shorten and facilitate the
| labors of those who come from all parts OF
the State to pursue their researches in the
very elaborate law library Of the State. We
feel it our duty to especially compliment
the Librarian npon this valuable produc-
| ton. A catalogue is now in process ofcom-
pletion in the general department, which,
when completed, will be a most valuable
addition thereto. The Librarian has also
in contemplation a much-needed index to
| the Supreme Court Records Of the State,
comprising some 1,oUO volGmes-a labor
! which the press of other work and want of
sufficient assistance has unayoidably de-
layed up to this time. The cataloguing,
indexing and other work laid out by the
Librarian has very materially increased
work in this department.
Ia. WIIcox. Chairman.
CHAs. o. ALEXANDER,
A. w. LAWRENCE,
G. w. KNOX,
w. D. MoRRIs.